Book Description

This comprehensive book provides authoritative information on the storied history of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) and its many accomplishments. This illustrated history of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provides an overview of the many missions that engineers have performed in support of the Army and the nation since the early days of the American Revolution. A permanent institution since 1802, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has effectively and proudly responded to changing defense requirements and has played an integral part in the development of the nation. Engineers have served in combat in all our nation's wars. Throughout the 19th century the Corps built coastal fortifications, surveyed roads and canals, eliminated navigational hazards, explored and mapped the western frontier, and constructed buildings and monuments in the nation's capital. In the 20th century, the Corps became the lead federal flood control agency. Assigned the military construction mission in 1941, the Corps constructed facilities at home and abroad to support the Army and the Air Force. During the Cold War, Army engineers managed construction programs for America's allies, including a massive effort in Saudi Arabia. Today, building on its rich heritage, the Corps is changing to meet the challenges of tomorrow. Our vision calls for us to be a vital part of the Army; the engineer team of choice, responding to our nation's needs in peace and war; and a values-based organization, respected, responsive, and reliable. Foreword * Historical Time Line * The Revolutionary War * Union with the Artillerists * Engineers in the War of 1812 * The Corps and the Military Academy at West Point, 1802-1866 * Explorations and Surveys * The National Road * Lighthouses * Origins of Civil Works Missions * Waterway Development * Flood Control * Hydropower Development * The Environmental Challenge * Work in the District of Columbia * Coast Defense * Combat Operations from the Mexican War to the Mexican Punitive Expedition * The Panama Canal * U.S. Army Engineers in World War I * Combat Engineers in World War II * The Manhattan Project * Engineer Combat in Korea and Vietnam * Military Construction * The Corps and the Space Program * Work for Other Nations * Changing Military Responsibilities and Relationships * Civil Works, Congress, and the Executive Branch * The Corps Castle and Essayons Button * Portraits and Profiles * Selected Bibliography